Mrs. Redmond Nears Two-Scorq
Mark As Secretary At College
MRS. RUTH BARKER REDUOND
j By DALE GADDY
In quick, business-like move
menu, Mrs. Ruth Kedmond
thumbed through a faded copy
of a 1928 "Rhododendron," tne
yearbook at Appalachian State
Teachers College. "This was
printed four years after I be
gan working here," she smiled
a* her blue-gray eyes peered
through the dare rimmed glass
es which clung to her face.
"I came here to work for a
' 'short time'," she explained as
she pressed her lips together
and cocked her head to one
side. "That was November 2,
1924. And I'm still here!" She
laughed the laugh of one who
had had a trick played on her.
Although much has changed
at the college and elsewhere in
the county during the 39 years
Mrs. Redmond has been a sec
retary there, the petite lady
has changed little (see photos
on this page). Were she not a
modest employee, she might well
explain it, saying, "I guess I
just stay too busy to change
much."
In 1924, Mrs. Redmond* was
Miss Ruth Barker and was work
ing with the American Rad
Cross in Johnson City, Tennes
see. The year before, she had
completed a course of study at
Draughns Business College in
Knoxville. In the fall pf 1924
she had no intentions of leaving
the Volunteer State.
However, that autumn, while
visiting in Boone, she was asked
to take a temporary position at
the college as secretary to D. D.
Dougherty, co-founder of the
institution. She volunteered.
"The campus was still quite
new them," she recalled. "In
fact the present administration
building had Just been complet
ed and that fall classes were
held in it for the first time."
Other buildings under con
struction then were White Hall
(girls dormitory) and a gymna
sium for girls. "Everything was
segregated back then," the en
ergetic lady related. "At the
ball games, the boys sat on one
side of the gym, the girls On
the other side. In assembly, the
boys sat on one side, the girls
on the other. Even at the dining
hall (which wm then in
tiovill Hail) the boys were made
to sit at one end of the room,
the girls at the other.
"This was not remedied until
the mid-1930's when a student
strike was staged," she said.
Dougherty's office was in the
Home Demonstration Building
(now known as the Old Home
Economics Building), "but we
moved to the Ad Building that
December, a few weeks after 1
began work."
Suffering from a heart con
dition, Dougherty was not al
ways able to work during an
entire day. Consequently, his
new secretary roomed in the
Dougherty home where she
could help the aging business
manager with the books and
records "whenever he felt like
working."
None of the county roads
were paved at that time, much
less on campus. Stepping stones
acted as side walks, according
to Mrs. Redmond. "One night
when I was going to a party on
campus, I, dressed in the finery
of the day, began walking on
those old stepping stones. It
had been raining real hard all
day and it was difficult to see
just where the stones were and
where the mud was.
"All of a sudden there 1 was
up to my knees in mud! So,
there was no party for me that
night." Again she laughed her
cheeful laugh.
"Back then the students and
the college personnel were not
allowed to date one another,"
she continued, a wry twinkle ap
pearing in her eyes. "Well,
Douglas ? he's my husband now
? was a senior at the normal
school then. I couldn't really say
that Mr. Dougherty forbade us
to date, but he stood many a
time on the front porch just
to scare Douglas away!"
The plan didn't succeed,
though, she confided. "I slip
ped out the back door and up
the hill (where Justice Hall now
stands) to meet Douglas, and we
would go to the movies."
After Dougherty's death in
June, 1929, the Tennessee girl
quit her job and was married
to Douglas. The young couple
lived in Illinois until 1031 wnen
Mrs. Redmond's husband decid
ed to return to the college to
begin work leading to a degree.
"It was in March of '31 that
we came back," she said as she
propped her thin chin in her
hands. "Mr. (James M.) Dow
num, who was the registrar then,
was without a secretary. They
asked me to help out tempor
arily. I accepted my second
'temporary' job."
After Downum's death, Mrs.
Redmond was secretary to H.
R. Eggers. Later she was made
secretary to Or. B. B. Dougher
ty, the college president. After
serving in the latter capacity for
five years, she was moved to
the business office, the place of
her original employment at the
college.
"And I've been in this office
(business) ever since," she add
ed.
"And I might say at this
point that I've enjoyed my work
immensely. Mr. Bernard
| (Dougherty) is a wonderful per
son to work for, as have been
the others for whom I've work
ed."
In 1024 as a recent business
college graduate, Mrs. Redmond
did all the secretarial work for
the business office and for New
River light and Power Com
pany. Today the power com
pany is under separate opera
tion, and instead of one secre
tary in the business department,
there are ten.
Mrs. Redmond's official title
today is "Secretary, Purchasing
Department."
In 1924 the student body
numbered approximately 300.
"I knew them all by name,"'
Mrs. Redmond commented.
This week, as registration for
spring quarter classes opened,
more than 3,000 students were
enrolled. Said the secretary,
"I've helped in every registra
tion line at Appalachian since
I've been here." For the first
few years, she, alone, handled
registration.
Now with at least five major
registration periods during the
calendar year and with the stu
D. D DOUGHERTY AND MISS RUTH BARKER . . 1928 PHOTO
dent body as Urge u it is, it that Appalachian's first dance
takes several moie workers (in
cluding student help) and a unit
of ii5 Ms to do the job.
"We've had only one bad
flight In the registration lines
that 1 can recall," she continued.
"Several years ago two men
were overheard behind the
bank threatening to hold up the
registration line.
"At that time there was no
campus police ? why, I've walk
ed to town many a time with
$39,000 to $90,000 cash and had
no thought of being molested.
"Anyway, the threat was not
carried out. But afterwards,
someone would go with me or
take the money to the hank
themselves."
The Redmonds have a daugh
ter, Ity-s. Carole Redmond Mill
er of Boone. "We're expecting
our first grandchild In Septem
ber," the college secretary beam
ed.
"One last thing," she beftan
as her eyes gazed at the worn
cover of the yearbook. "Since
it's almost St. Patrick's Day, it
might be of interest to note
was on that day in 1M5.
"The itudenta had b?cn
threatening another strike? 4qr
such privileges as dancing ? ana
the college officials were con
cerned. Miss Brock, the home
economics teacher, suggested to
Dr. Dougherty that a dance be
held on campus. 80, on St. Pat
rick's Day, Miss Brock and
Dr. Dougherty shocked the
whole student body by leading
off the grand march!"
Since then the annual St.
Patrick's Day dance has been
known at the college as the
Home Economics dance.
Twisting her head to one side
again, she said, thoughtfully, "A
lot has happened since the mid
twenties. A lot of people have
come and gone since then. It's
been an exciting time, especi
ally for those of us who have
been able to see the college
grow as it has,"
Gazing out the window
through the rainy mist which
hovered over the sprawling cam
pus, she repeated, "A lot has
happened."
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